Driven Under
by Jurojin
Summary: Michelle had no idea she would get as much insight into Tony Almeida as she was getting now.


Someone asked if I would do another "Tony sings" story so here it is. Again, this isn't a song fic. The song is from the band Seether and the name is "Driven Under." I highly suggest you listen to it. It's a great, soulful song and fits Tony's situation with Nina (with a little Jack throw in) perfectly. I'm going to leave this uncompleted since I might have another idea for one of these at a later date.

The usual, I don't own anything, blah blah blah.

Like it, hate it, review please.

* * *

Michelle walked into the bar slowly. She couldn't believe she was doing this.

_Earlier that day at CTU she had accidently overheard one of Tony's phone calls. She'd only been working there for about a month now, but she was already infatuated with the man. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was just something that drew her to him. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was gorgeous._

_She was making her way back from IT when she passed by the locker room. She saw him standing at one of the lockers removing his jacket and keys. His phone rang just as he was finishing up._

"_Almeida. Hey Carlos. ¿Todo que va muy bien?" (Everything going ok?)_

"_Yeah I'll be there in about an hour. I got something I need to drop off first then I'm on my way. Nah I made sure to bring my guitar with me. I just need to swing by Amy's and drop off Zach's backpack. He left it in the back of my car."_

_Michelle stood there watching him talk and wondered where the hell he was going that he needed a guitar. Before she could ponder it longer he was ending the call._

"_Ya, I should be there on time. You need me to pick up dinner? Ya. I got it, ok. See you in a few. Adiós."_

_Michelle watched him slip his wallet into his back pocket and close his locker. She turned around to start down the hallway when he came barreling out the door. Startled she found herself back to chest with him. She could feel the heat coming off of him and could smell his cologne._

"_Oh sorry Michelle. I'm in a bit of a hurry, didn't mean to knock ya over." He reached out and placed his hand on her lower back to steady her. Her back tingled where they met._

"_It's ok Tony. I was just going to drop these files off at my desk before heading home." She reached up and pushed a stray curl behind her ear._

"_Well uh, have a good night. I have plans with my brother and I better get going. I'll uh, see ya tomorrow."_

_He gave her a small shy smile and headed down the corridor towards the elevator._

_Michelle watched him go with a curious look on her face. A guitar? Did he play? This was too good for her to pass up. Before she could tell herself what she was about to do was a bad idea she ran by her desk, threw down the files and headed out to the parking garage. If she was lucky, she would just catch Tony driving off and hopefully tail him to wherever he was going._

Which brings her to where she is now, sitting at a table in the back of a bar watching him play. She'd had a crush on him almost immediately after seeing him. He was dark and had a slightly dangerous edge to him. Of course after meeting him she knew he was nothing but polite and kind. But you could feel he had a kind of passion just under the surface. In other words, Michelle was completely infatuated and obsessed. Well, obsessed wouldn't have been the word she used before tonight. But following him like a stalker, pretty much put her picture next to obsessed in the dictionary.

_I just want to know more about him…that's all._

She never would have guessed he was any kind of artist. Never in a million years would she guess he played the guitar. She knew people had lives outside of CTU but he was just so serious all the time. Sure they would crack jokes now and again, shamelessly flirting. But she was watching him actually involved with a band. And he was good, damn good. Michelle was glad she followed him. She wanted to know everything she could about Tony Almeida. So far, after a month the only information she'd been able to get was all about Nina Myers. She knew they had been dating at the time Nina was uncovered as a mole. She also knew that he had quietly but effectively stopped seeing anyone…and he really meant anyone. The whole thing just made her that much more anxious to know him.

_Don't kid yourself Michelle. You want to know him because you want him. Period._

She walked to an empty table near the left hand side of the bar. It was situated in a dark corner and gave her enough cover. The last thing she needed was having him think she was some kind of mole herself. She'd been sitting at the table for about 10 minutes when a man with dirty blonde hair sat down next to her. Startled she turned to tell him off and was caught short.

"Jack? Jack Bauer right?"

Jack just smirked timidly and nodded. "I didn't mean to startle you. I know you don't know me, well besides my file anyway. I did recognize you though. Tony's spoke of you often."

Michelle was a bit taken aback by this. "Really? He's spoken of me? I wasn't aware you two were close?"

Jack took a pull from the beer he had brought with him. "You don't get fucked over by the same woman and not become close."

Michelle just looked at the table, suddenly finding something very interesting.

"I'm sorry, Michelle right? I didn't mean to be crude. It's a sore subject. But yes, you could say Tony and I are close. While I don't work at CTU anymore, we've stayed in touch."

Michelle nodded slowly and turned her attention back to the stage. "I had no clue Tony was so talented."

"It was surprising to me as well. The first time he asked me to come I was shocked to put it mildly. After watching him I because a bit envious. He has an outlet for his pain." Here Jack paused and gave a sad smile. "Unfortunately I've had to resort to other means." He took another slow pull of his beer. "Does Tony know you are here?"

Michelle shyly looked up at him, a slow blush spreading across her face and neck. "Not…exactly."

Jack smiled at her. She swore she saw him wink at her. "Well as far as I'm concerned I never saw you."

Just then the audience cheered and clapped for the band onstage and then went quiet. The lead singer spoke into the microphone. "Thank you thank you. We are gonna switch things up a bit now. Almeida has a song he's worked on and will take the helm for this one." The crowd cheered again giving Michelle the impression Tony was well known here.

"He's pretty popular around here. I keep telling him they should find a place closer to home but I don't think he wants anyone from CTU to know." Jack pointed to the other guitarist who was now setting up to Tony's right. "That's Carlos, Tony's younger brother."

Michelle was shocked she didn't see the resemblance before. Carlos looked just like his brother, just a tad bit shorter and with a much more baby face. While Carlos certainly didn't have problems with the ladies, he didn't have the same air as Tony. Carlos looked outgoing and laid back. Tony on the other hand looked like he'd ravish you in a dark corner somewhere. Michelle shivered slightly.

"Does Tony always sing?"

"From time to time. It depends on if he's wrote anything. Tony just doesn't sing anything. He only sings what he writes and he only writes things that are personal." Jack cocked his head to the side and studied Michelle carefully. "I'm not sure if tonight was the best night for you to come. He asked me here tonight because the latest song he's written is about Nina." Jack looked down at the table and subconsciously picked at the label on his beer. His voice dropped so low Michelle had to lean in a bit to hear him. "Tony always feels I need to give some kind of reassurance that what he's written does us both justice. He's always felt guilty for my wife's death. I guess he feels this is the only way he can help me get any of the closure he has through his music."

Michelle touched his arm lightly and he looked up at her, a slight bit of wetness to his eyes. "I know hearing about her isn't something pleasant, but it is a part of him. I want to know everything. I want to know him."

Jack smiled at her and was then drawn to the stage where Tony and the band began to play.

The song started with a menacing tone. The notes seemed to creep up slowly, yet threatened with something sinister.

_Do you think I'm faking_

_when I'm lying next to you?_

_Do you think that I am blind_

_nothing left for me to lose?_

_Must be something on your mind_

_something lost and left behind_

_Do you know I'm faking now?_

_Do you know I'm faking_

_when I'm lying next to you?_

_Do you know that I am blind to everything you ever do?_

_Must be something on your mind_

_something lost for me to find_

_Do you know I'm faking?_

Michelle glanced at Jack out of the corner of her eye. He was totally focused on the stage. _Good she thought. Then he can't see me blush. I had no idea the song would be so…sexual._

Michelle watched Tony sing. His eyes were mostly closed and she swore she could feel shame coming from him. An air of guilt was present also.

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before on him_

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man_

Michelle now understood why Tony wanted Jack there. She had no idea she would get as much insight into Tony Almeida as she was getting now.

_I guess you know I'm faking_

_when I tell you I love you_

_I guess you know that I am blind_

_to everything you say and do_

_Must be something on my mind_

_there's nothing left for me to hide_

_Do you know I'm faking?_

She had no idea her night would turn out being as uncomfortable and a bit depressing as it was. He looked so pained. When he did open his eyes she could see how much this woman had hurt him. She could never imagine the humiliation and betrayal he must have felt. She couldn't imagine the guilt he carried with him over Jack's wife. How every time he saw Jack, he was reminded of her deceit and his role in it, however misguided. His words were shockingly fierce.

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before on him_

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man_

_We have to succumb to the feelings we can never face_

_I need you. I breathe you._

_I can't go through this all again._

_We have to succumb to_

_the feelings we can never face I need you._

_I breathe you. I can't go through this…_

_He cared for her. You can feel it. You can feel his desperation._

Michelle felt a surge of jealously. She had no right to feel this way but she had an unexpected protectiveness when it came to Tony. They were drawn together and she knew he felt it too. She could see it when he looked at her. And to hear him speak of his feelings for this woman so plainly and how she had nearly destroyed him made Michelle furious. She wanted the chance Nina had. She wanted to show him what they could be to each other.

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before_

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before on him_

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_it sounded like she'd used it once before, oh man_

_Then she told me she had a gun_

_she says she wants to use it on me now…_

The song's last note slowly faded and left the room lacking air. For one split second, everyone knew what it felt like to be stabbed in the back. You could practically feel the empathy. And then the crowd cheered…loudly. Tony just said a timid thank you and went back to his place near the right hand side of the stage. The original lead singer came back to the front and the next set began.

Michelle turned to Jack to see him staring down at the table, a wistful yet slightly painful look on his face. These two men were tied together by spilled blood and deceit and yet they've used it to grow closer, hopefully helping each other cope.

She had no idea that by coming here tonight she would learn just how deeply Nina Myers had hurt Tony Almeida and Jack Bauer. Before coming here she just thought of taking things with Tony like she would with any other man. She'd flirt and show her interest until he either asked her out or she broke down and did it herself. Now, now things were different.

Michelle couldn't approach him. Nina Myers had effectively and unknowingly clouded whatever Michelle hoped to have with Tony. If she were to approach him, he would see Nina. Now was not the time. She'd have to wait. There would come a time where Nina Myers wouldn't be at the forefront of his mind and then, then he wouldn't know what hit him.

Michelle could wait, he was worth it.

The best things in life were always worth waiting for.


End file.
